Amusement apparatus.



' H. C. TANABE.

AMUSEMENT-APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2.1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET I 1,277,272. Patented Aug. 27, 1918:

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H. c. TANABE. AMUSEMENTAPPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. 19H.

- Patented Aug. 27', 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Ha ha yo- C'hu baa/. 71 7Z7 7qbe INVENTOR H. C. TANABE.

AMUSEMENT APPARAIUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2 NHL 1,277,272. Patented Afig. 27, l9I8-.

'3 SHTS-SHEE3.

INVENTOR WITNESSES Ha/fuL oC/vu/mch/Bnabe 1y ATTORNEY TED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

HAKULYO CHUH AQHI TANABE, OF MARYSVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 27, 1918- Applicationfiled June 2, 1917. Serial No. 172,445.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, HAKULYO CHUHACHI TANABE, a subject of the Emperor ofJapan, and a resident of the United States, residing at Marysville, inthe county of Yuba and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to amusement apparatus of the type generallyknown as merry go rounds.

The invention has for one of its chief characteristics the provision ofa novel construction of means for imparting an up and down motion toanimal like figures, which are also mounted for vertical pivotalmovement with a view of simulating the action of'the animals racing.

.The invention embodies a number of other important objects andadvantages which will appear from the following detail description, whenread in connection with the accompanying drawings, the inventionresiding in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts asclaimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification like numerals ofreference indicate similar parts in the several views and whereinz-Figure 1 is a perspective view partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in sect-ion. Fig. 3 is a top plan viewpartly in section. Fig. 4 is a view of the operating mechanism, with thecasing inclosing the same broken away.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through one of the figures showing the mannerof supporting the same.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6' -6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail section showing the manner of supportingthe flag staff.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the figures. Fig. 9 is a perspectiveView partly in section showing a modified form of musical 1nstrument.

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view 'there-.

through.

Before entering into a detail description I of what is herein shown, Idesire to have it understood that the same is merely illustrative of thepreferred embodiment of the invention, and is not to be consideredrestrictive. I also desire to emphasize the fact, that the apparatus inits entirety or any of the component parts thereof may be constructedfrom any suitable material, and vary in design without departingfrom'the spirit of the invention.

As shown in this particular instance 10 indicates an enlargedcylindricalcasing, in-

tially rectangular elongated casing 14 in which is arranged the operatinmechanismof the apparatus. J ournaled etween the top and bottom walls 15and 16 respectively of the casing is a shaft 17 which projects anappreciable distance below the casing 14 into the space beneath thebottom 13 of the casing 10. Loosely j ournaled upon the shaft 17 is ahorizontally disposedgear wheel 18,

while encircling the shaft 17 and interposedbetween the gear 18 and thebottom of the casing 14 is a sleeve 19 utilized to support the gear 18in proper position upon the shaft. It is of course understood that theshaft 17 rotates within the sleeve 19. A band spring 20 is coiled aboutthe shaft 17 above the gear 18, the spring having one endfixed to theshaft and its opposite end suitably secured to the adjacent end wall ofthe casing 1A. The spring is provided to rotate the shaft 17 as will bereadily apparent. Fixed upon the shaft 17 and interposed between thegear 18 and the adjacent extremity of the sleeve 19 is a disk 21, whichtogether with the gear 18'provides a ratchet to permit the shaft 17 tobe rotated to wind the spring, without imparting movement to the gear18. For this purpose the gear18 is provided with a circumferentialseries of upstruck teeth 22, as is also the disk 21, the

teeth of the latter being indicated at 23 and disposed in parallelismwith the teeth 22,0f

the gear 18. As above stated the gear l8 is loosely mounted upon theshaft 17, and consequently the shaft can be rotated in the properdirection to wind the spring 17 spring 20, the disk 21 engages the gear13 to impart rotation thereto. J ournaled withinthe casing 14 anddisposed in parallel relation with the shaft 17, is a shaft 24, uponwhich is fixeda relatively small gear 25 with which the gear 18 meshes,to rotate the shaft 24 simultaneously with the rotation of the gear 18.Fixed upon the same shaft 24 is a relatively large gear 26 which mesheswith the small gear 27 as shown. The gears 25 and 26 respectively areprevented from sliding upon their shaft 24 by means of collars 28 whichare arranged above and below the gears, the collars being fixedrelatively to the shaft 24. p

The gear 27 is fixed upon the hollow tubular member 29 which issupported upon the base 16 of the casing 14, but which member isvertically disposed and projects through the top of the casing to apoint above the top 12 of the casing 10. Surrounding the tubular member29 and disposed above and below the gear 27 are collars 30, whose dis--position is such that vertical movement of the tubular member 29 isprohibited. A nonrotatable shaft 31 is passed through the tubular member29 and through an opening in the bottom 16 of the casing 14, the shaftprojecting above the tubular memberv 29 and utilized in the capacity ofa flag staff. The shaft 31 is of course spaced from the wall of thetubular member so as not to interfere with the rotation of the latter.The lower extremity of the shaft 31 terminates to provide a rightangularly disposed extension 32 which is arranged in contactingengagement with the under surface of the bottom of the.

casing 14. Secured at one end to the bottom 16 of the casing is a leafspring 33 provided with an intermediate bulged portion 34 designed toaccommodate the extension 32 of the shaft 31, thus holding the latteragainst rotation or movement otherwise. The free extremity of the spring33 is flared as at 35 to facilitate the association of the parts.

Pivotally mounted upon the tubular member 29 is a plurality of yokes 36.It might here be stated that any number of these yokes may be employed,but it is essential naled in the separated portions of the arm tion oftheir length to provide a socket 40 of rectangular formation in crosssection. It is of course obvious that each branch 38 of the bars 39, isprovided with one of these arms, the latter beingofiset as at 41 andbifurcated at their upper ends'as at 42. The arms 39 support the animallike'figures indicated at 43, and these figures may vary in design torepresent different kinds of animals. The figures may be constructedfrom any suitable material preferably metal when toy figures are used,in which instance the latter are hollow and provided with a transverselydisposed rod 44 which is loosely j our- 39 defined by the bifurcationthereof. -The rod 44 is disposed. approximately centrally of thefigures, but is arranged so that the latter will be slightly unbalanced,or in other words slightly heavier at the rear end. By reason of thisconstruction and arrangement of parts it is manifest that the animallike figures are mounted for vertical pivotal movement, to simulate theactions of the animals when running or racing. The bars 37 arepreferably of such length so as to dispose the figures above the innertop wall 11 of the casing 10. The top 11 is preferably marked off toprovide inner and outer con centrically disposed tracks or runways 45and 46 respectively. As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, one of the arms39 may support a group of figures representing rats, while the next armin order may support a figure indicative of a cat, the arms beingclosely associated to give the resemblance of the cat chasing the rats.The opposite extremities of the bars 37 may support figures indicativeof horses, dogs or the like to give a resemblance of the latter racing.However-the particular design of the figures 43 is an immaterial featureand can be varied at will. It is to be also understood that the bars 37can be arranged at any suitable angle, and that the offset portions 41of the bracket arms 39 may vary so that the figures may travel over boththe inner and outer tracks 45 and 46 designated on the top wall 11 ofthe casing 10.

The casing 10 is provided with an outwardly swinging door 47 whichcontrols access to the space beneath the bottom 13 of the casing, topermit winding of the spring 20 as the occasion requires. The shaft 17is provided with a manipulating portion 48 for this purpose. Inpractice, one of the bars 37, or figures .43 is held while the shaft 17is being rotated to wind the spring 20, subsequent to which the bar orfigure is released. The train of gearing is then put into operationunder the influence of the spring 20 to rotate the tubular member 29.and the figures 43 as will be readily understood. As hereinabove statedthe figures are mounted for vertically pivotal movement, and areslightly heavier at the rear end. The animals by reason of this pivotal.

movement have their front and rear legs al ternately brought intocontact withthe inner top wall 11 of the casing 10. The hind legs areprovided with small springs 49 or other yieldable means suitable for thepur-' pose of maintaining the pivotal movement heaviest causes theanimals to tilt in an op-' posite direction, and 1n this manner pivotal,

movement to the animals is maintained as long as the apparatus is inoperation.

' Arranged upon the bottom .13 of the casing 10 and disposed in spacedconcentric relation to the wall of the casing, is a wall 50 which housesor incloses the casing 14. The upper edge of the wall 50 is scalloped orgiven a wavelike shape as at 51, while the bars 37 are arranged toengage this edge of the wall and over which the bars pass to cause thefigures 43 to rise and fall during their continued rotation. Bypreference, it is desired to have one extremity of the bar 37 carried byone of the yokes 36 arranged in the depressed portion of the edge 51 atthe same time that the opposite extremity of the bar 37 carried by theadjacent yoke is passing over the highest portion of the edge. The edge51 is made very smooth with a View of preventing any bind ing actiontherebetween and the bars 37.

Fixed upon the tubular member 29 at apoint an appreciable distance abovethe uppermost yoke 36, is a clamp 52, which is arranged transverselywith respect -to the tubular-member. Projecting from the opposite endsof the clamp 52 are bars 53 of a construction similar to the bars 37above described. The bars 53 project beyond the extremities of the bars37, being of sufiicient length to position the upwardly extendingv rightangularly disposed branches 54 above the outer top wall 12 of thecasing. These branches are also provided with squared extremities toaccommodate the bracket arms 55 which are hollowto form sockets 56 ofrectangular formation in cross section. The

arms 56 are designed to support figures such as automoblles, buggies, orblcycle rlders and the wheels of these figures travel over the outertopwall 12 of the casing 10. It is to be understood that the bars 53 do notat any time come in contact with the wave shaped edge 51 of the wall 50,and consequently the figures 57} will pursue their course of travelwithout jumping or leaving the outer top wall 12. Rising from the outertop Wall 12 adjacent the periphery thereof 1s a plurality of posts 58which has attached thereto the strands 59 of a wire fence.

In conjunction with an apparatus of this character, I also provide aninstrument for furn shing music, which is automaticallyv operable whilethe apparatus is in-motion. The instrument preferably embodies anannulus 60 which rests upon the bottom 13 of the casing inwardly of thewall 50. Rising from the annulus at spaced intervals is a pluralityofgood sounding iron bars 61, although these bars maybe constructed fromother suitable material. It will be noted that the bars 61 vary inlength so as to produce different sounds. Carried by the tubu I larmember 29 is a striking element (52, which may be constructed from anysuitable material, having its opposite eigtremities flexible, anddisposed so as to have its extremities successively brought into contactwith the sounding bars 61. It will be noted that the musical instrumentis most conveniently disposed, and will not in any Way interfere withthe; operation of the apparatus otherwise. l

In Fig. 9 I show a modified form of the mvention in this respect, inwhich instance an annulus 60 is disposed inwardly of the wall 50, andprovided with a circumferential groove 60 clearly illustrated in Fig.10. Bridging the groove and'secured to the annulus 60 in any suitablemanner, are horizontally disposed musical elements or sounding plates61', and it will be observed I that these plates are positioned withregard to the depressed portions of the wave-like edge of the wall 50,so that as the bars 37 passing over the depressed portion, bring thetapper or hammer 37"which are carried by the arms 37 into cont-act withone of the sounding instruments 61 for furnishing music for theapparatus.

The tracks 45 and 46 are divided by a line 63 constituting the startingand finishing points of the race, while mounted upon one of the posts 58is a bell (S4 to be sounded for the starting of the race. The childrenoperating the apparatus place their figures 43 on the lines 63, andsubsequent to the winding of the spring 20, the bell 64 is sounded, atwhich time the children release their hold on the figures-43 to startthe race. The figures continue to rotate with the tubular member 29 aslong as the spring 20 remains under tension, but when the operationceases the player having his figure on one of the lines 62 at aparticular side of the track is the winner of the race. vious that Ihave provided an apparatus whereby the racing between animal likefigures may be accomplished, the representation of cats chasing rats, ora dog running.

after rabbits etc. may be had, and which 130 It is obwould prove veryamusing and interesting and therefore further explanation has beenomitted.

What is claimed. is

1. An amusement apparatus of the character described comprising asupport, a standard rotatably mounted centrally of the support, aplurality of objects arranged to travel on the support, means carried bythe standard for supporting said objects for pivotal movement and alsofor rotation with the standard, means carried by the objects andintermittently contacting with the track for causing such pivotalmovement, and means for rotating said standard.

2. An amusement apparatus of the character described comprising asupport, a. standard rising centrally therefrom and mounted forrotation, arms projecting radially from said standard, means forrotating said standard, animal like figures pivotally mounted on saidarm and disposed to travel over said support, said figures beingslightly unbalanced for vertical movement, and yieldable means carriedby the heaviest portion of the figure and having one end in freeengagement with the support to maintain the pivotal movement of thefigures during rotation of the standard.

3. An amusement apparatus of the character described comprising asupport, a standard rising centrally therefrom and mounted for rotation,arms projecting horizontally of said standard for rotation therewith,each arm including a vertically disposed portion, a bracket, an animallike figure pivotally mounted on said bracket, said brackets beingdetachably associated with the vertical portions of said arms wherebyanimals of different characters may be associated with the latter, saidfigures being disposed to travel over said support as the standard isrotated, and means for rotating said standard.

4. An amusement apparatus of the character described comprising a casingincluding a top wall formed of inner and outer sections spaced apart,the inner section having a central opening therein, a standardprojecting from the bottom of the casing through said opening andmounted for rotation, means for rotating the standard, a plurality ofdiametrically extending arms pivotally mounted upon the standard for r0-tation therewith and animal like figures pivotally mounted upon saidarms and disposed to travel over said inner top wall.

5. An amusement apparatus of the character described comprising asupport, a standard rotatably mounted centrally of the support, meansfor rotating said standard, a plurality of objects carried by saidstandard for rotation therewith, said objects being disposed to travelon said support, an annulus arranged on' the support and surroundingsaid standard, musical sounding bars rising from said annulus, and ahorizontally rotatable striking element carried by the standard andadapted to be successively brought into engagement with the said bars toproduce said musical sounds during the rotation of said standard.

6. An amusement apparatus of the character described comprising asupport, a standard rotatably mounted centrally of the support, meansfor rotating said standard, a plurality of objects carried by the standard for rotation therewith, said objects being disposed to travel onsaid support, an annulus disposed about said standard and resting uponthe support, musical sounding bars rising from the annulus in spacedrelation, said bars being of difi'erent heights for varying the sound,and a striking element projecting from the standard to Sue cessivelyengage said bars as the standard is rotated, and a flexible extremitycarried by the striking element to permit of its passing said bars.

7. An amusement apparatus of the character described comprising a-'support, a standard rising centrally therefrom and mounted forrotation, arms projecting radially from said standard, means forrotating the standard, animal like figures pivotally mounted on saidarms and disposed to travel over said support, said figures beingslightly unbalanced for vertical movement and a coiled spring having oneend secured to the heaviest portion of the figure and its opposite endadapted to contact with the support to maintain the pivotal movement ofthe figures during the rotation of the standard.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. HAKULYO CHUHACHI TANABE.

